Industry has a love-hate relationship with information technology. On one hand, IT has transformed virtually every aspect of the plant, from shop floor to product development to supply chain. On the other, we seem to have more than our share of people who avoid using IT systems in any way they can.

The costs are significant. The biggest barrier to successful operation of advanced ERP, CMMS or business intelligence systems is a lack of user compliance. Without user input, these systems grind to a halt, but the problem doesn't just apply to complex systems. Even within our familiar desktop environment, calendars remain unused, e-mail groups are never set up and documents are not shared. As a result, employees are bogged down with manual tasks such as typing in e-mail addresses and URLs, hunting for missing information, or phoning numbers of colleagues to find out when that Friday meeting was supposed to start.

IT's knee-jerk response is to accuse system users of being narrow-minded and averse to change. However, people are quick to buy into technology when it makes life easier. It doesn't take a big selling job to convince a shipper it's easier to move a skid of automotive engine parts with a forklift than it is to move the parts manually.

The benefits may not be so obvious with information systems. Why would an employee want to fill out an online form for ordering a part instead of calling a buddy in purchasing? At the shop floor level, the buddy system seems simpler and more direct. As long as workers perceive this, there will be resistance to technology.

The problem with modern IT is the benefits of compliance may not accrue to the worker, but to somebody else in the organization. Other than possibly reducing errors, filling out the online form doesn't usually make the line worker's job any easier. Instead, it makes things more manageable for people in purchasing or accounting.

IT is increasingly about sharing information. Applications are implemented not so much to enhance personal productivity, but group productivity. Well-managed companies leverage their sense of community to achieve buy-in; however, if the group means nothing to an employee, you have a problem that is far greater than gaining compliance with IT.

A few questions
Rather than accusing recalcitrant employees of being technophobes, we need to table some questions when seeking compliance with a technology:

• Are we asking people to do more? Filling out online forms, using a webbased system to track shipments or using a workflow system to handle acquisition approvals may require a worker to commit more time to save time in other parts of the organization. Are we compensating the employee for this, perhaps by decreasing this person's workload? Sweeping this issue under the rug breeds resentment, which is channelled into grudging resistance.
• Are we asking people to do things they don�t understand? There's so much technology coming at us that there seems to be no time to learn it. Experts suggest training is severely under-practiced. Upgrading to Windows Vista, for example, is a big change for all users, not just IT people. They should get at least some fundamental training.
• Are we asking people to do things that don�t make sense? Applications are often implemented without regard to whether they actually work in the field. This is especially true in small to midsized operations that rely on out-of-box features. Getting lots of user feedback on applications before implementing them is essential. Most software vendors allow free trials of new applications�line workers should participate in these trials.
• Are we really convinced ourselves? If senior managers aren�t embracing the technology, workers will feel it's not fully legitimate.

There will always be people who resist technology no matter what you do. They're in the minority. With good communication and thoughtful implementation, most people will overcome their technophobia, which will ensure companies get the most out of their IT investments.

Jacob Stoller
jacob@stollerstrategies.com